Socket clamp for lamps



H. c. FOSTER. SOCKET CLAMP FOR LAMPS. APPLICATION HL'ED MAR. 6, I920.

1 ,404,7 5 1 Patented Jan. 31, 1922.

INVENTOR H.422) C. Fosrf.

ATTORNEYS.

HARRY C. FOSTER. OF CONNERISVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T0 INDIANA LAIVLP COM- PANY, A CORIPORATION 9F INDIANA.

SOCKET CLAMP FOR LAMPS.

Ldfidflfii.

Application filed. March 6,

To -17 4/; 107)? it may concern Be it known that l, HARRY C. Fos'rnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident oi Connersville, county of Fayette and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Fiocket'Clamp for Lamps; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear. and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like numeralsrefer to like parts.

- The chief object of this invention is to provide a clamp for a light socket which will yieldingly grip the same and simultaneously center the same.

Another feature. of the invention is that the variations in. standard sockets are neutralized by the improved clamp. I

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claim:

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a central sectional view of a reflector incorporating the usual lamp and socket and the improved clamp. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the socket and clamp. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the same. Fig. 4c is an end view of the clamp.

In the drawings 10 indicates a lamp reflector provided with a central opening 11,

y the usual socket comprising the plug 12,

and the contact sleeve 13, herein shown grounded to the reflector, and the lamp 14:, said sleeve and lamp being provided with the usual cooperating bayonet slot and pin, all of said parts being old in the art. It will be understood that the insulating block 12 is provided with a central electrode, the same being connected by suitable means to a source of current through the wire 15, the same entering one side of said insulating block forwardly of the sleeve 13. It will also be understood that the sleeve 13is rigid upon the insulating block and extends beyond the same to provide a socket in which the lamp 1 1- is seated, said lamp being seat-ed by any suitable means not shown.

The opening 11 of the reflector has a flared edge 16, the same securing the base portion 17 of the improved clamp. The base portion 17 is positioned upon said sleeve 13 and substantially encircles the same, and is secured to the flared edge 16 in any suitable manner. A bead or rein- Itrom said sleeve 13.-

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan, 311, 1922.

1920. Serial No. 363,815.

forcing ring 18 also is formed upon the baseportion 17 and abuts the flared edge 16. From the foregoing it will be understood that the clamp is securely seated within the central opening 11.

The improved clamp is provided with ciamping means comprising a pair of parallel cars 19, said ears being provided with suitable openings 20 in the ends thereof, said ends being bent upwardly and awa Extending througi said openings is any suitable securingmeans,

that herein shown comprising a cotter pin 21, with a tension spring 22, and a washer 23 secured upon the same. The cars and the clamping portions are herein shown spaced from the base portion by forming a slot 2 1 between the same so that suflicient tension may be exerted by the clamping portion upon the sleeve 13. The outer edge of said clamp is cut away as at 25 so that the same provides clearance for the wire 15 entering the insulating plug 12. In the body of said clamp there is provided a longitudinally extending focusing slot 26 in which a lug or tongue member 27, herein shown formed upon the sleeve 13, is slidable.

It will be understood that the ring 18 and base portion 17 may be readily secured to the reflector in any suitable manner, and a socket thus formed is adapted to receive the usual standard sleeve and insulating plug and center the same in said socket. Any inequalities or variations which may exist in said standard sleeve, are equalized by the clamping portion of the improved clamp. The tension of the clamping portion is suflicient to yieldingly grip the sleeve 13 and permit the same to be slidably moimted therein the limit of slidin movement bein shown in Fig. 8 by the length of the focusing slot 26. When the parts are in the dotted position shown in Fig. 1, the wire 15 is positioned such that the cut away portion 25 permits the lamp to be free of any interferenoe from the improved clamp and eliminates danger of short circuiting.

It will be noted that the clamp socket is of considerable length with respect to the length of the sleeve and the insulating plug. The socket and'lamp, therefore, will be positioned axially of the reflector which would not always be the case were said clamp shortened to the usual length. It will be understood that in focusing, since the lamp plug and sleeve slide longitudinally in the clamp and since the sleeve is of the length shown, said lamp at all times moves longitudinally along the reflector axis.

The improved clamp may be formed from a, single piece of metal, being slotted to provide the slot 2&, and cut away portion 25 and the ears 23 as well as the focusing slot in the body portion. The bead 18 may be formed upon said clamp blank in any suitable manner by soldering the same thereto or by stamping up the same from the clamp blank.

When it is desired to use this clamp in a nonfocusing light the cotter pin, spring and washer may be replaced if desired by a bolt and nut and the same used to rigidly clamp the sleeve and plug to the reflector.

The invention claimed is:

A focusing light socket including the comi said 0pen1ng, a sleeve surrounding and secured upon said plug and seatable in said opening, and a lamp carried by said plug, or a focusing clamp comprising a base portion seatable in said opening andsubstantially encircling said sleeve and plug, a shoulder on said base portion and concentric therewith, the body of said clamp being provided with a longitudinally-extending focusing slot, a lug carried by said sleeve and slidable in said focusing slot, a pair of ears secured at both sides of said body and extending outwardly therefrom said ears having a cut-away portion providing clearance for the longitudinal adjustment of said lamp, and tension means cooperating with said ears for drawing the same into clamping position to prevent a frictional sliding movement of said plug and sleeve therein.-

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

HARRY o. FOSTER. 

